by Ellery Queen
First published 1970
This anthology brings together twenty crime and mystery tales from masters of the genre. Inspector Maigret wages psychological warfare against a suspect in Simenon's contribution. Cornell Woolrich explores the aftermath of a life-changing moment. P.D. James examines a crucial shift in power dynamics. Edward D. Hoch tackles what seems like an unsolvable puzzle. The collection spans from traditional detective fiction to psychological suspense, featuring work by Stanley Ellin, Charlotte Armstrong, Julian Symons, and Michael Gilbert. Each story presents its own puzzle, whether it's a stakeout gone wrong on Page Street, a mysterious elevator encounter, or questions about an elderly woman's fate. The authors probe human nature through crime, revealing the motives that drive people to murder and the methods detectives use to uncover truth. From Berlin to garden settings, these tales explore the dark corners where ordinary lives intersect with violence and deception.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: mystery, puzzle, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Berlin, Page Street
Period: 20th-century
256 pages · Hardcover · Littlehampton Book Services Ltd